November/December 2022 Issue

Even though we spend much of our time thinking about the nutritional benefits food offers students, most of us are well aware of the fact that food has social and emotional impacts as well. After all, what would a special occasion be without food for everyone to enjoy together? What better way is there to enthuse people at a meeting than by serving refreshments?

When those special occasions happen within the school district, who’s better positioned to meet those needs than the school nutrition teams themselves? In the latest issue of School Nutrition magazine, check out the ways that foodservice directors have used their knowledge, skills and ingenuity to create catering programs that serve their school districts.

Log into your SNA account and scroll down to read this month's articles, view the digital issue or download a PDF of the magazine to print or share. Here's what's covered:

• The Café Caters. Lee’s Summit R7 (Mo.) School District has been growing a successful catering program for 14 years, and today the food service team handles everything from simple refreshments to multi-course meals for a variety of events. Learn how they do it—and how you can do it, too.
• Best. Birthday. Ever. Birthdays are a great opportunity to make students feel special, and these three school nutrition professionals have figured out ways to serve up a memorable celebration for kids in their districts.
• Beyond the Party Platter. Launching a catering program might not be easy, but it brings plenty of rewards. We asked a group of school nutrition directors from across the country about the programs they run, the challenges they face, and what they love about it.
• Warm up to Chilis, Soups and Stews. We’ve got a ladleful of knowledge on the comfiest of comfort foods. Chilis, soups and stews will warm you up on a cold day—plus, they’re easy and nutritious.